On April 6, investigative journalist Bolot Temirov claimed in a Telegram post that his wife, Makhabat Tajibek kyzy, had been beaten alongside other detainees by prison guards in Kyrgyzstan. Prison authorities offered a weak denial, stating that pre-trial detention employees do not have the right to beat prisoners. The Kyrgyz Ombudsman Institute visited the pre-trial … Read more
“We decided to shut down our organization,” said Dinara Oshurahunova, a prominent human rights activist from Kyrgyzstan known for her foundation, Civic Initiatives. When she spoke to The Diplomat, Kyrgyzstan was one step away from passing a draconian law on so-called “foreign representatives.” Mirroring the 2012 Russian “foreign agents” law, the law is expected to … Read more
On March 13, the Kyrgyz president’s press secretary announced in a Facebook post that the draft law “on mass media” had been withdrawn on behalf of President Sadyr Japarov. Following a meeting last week with more than 40 representatives of Kyrgyzstan’s media sector, Japarov requested the bill be withdrawn and “finalized” – ostensibly to be … Read more
On Aike Beishekeyeva’s 23rd birthday on January 16, the young Kyrgyz journalist was planning to buy a cake to share with her colleagues. That celebration never happened. Instead, early that morning, Beishekeyeva was arrested at her family home on suspicion of “inciting mass unrest.” For weeks, she has been awaiting trial in Detention Center 1, … Read more
In the wake of its December 2023 downgrading of Kyrgyzstan’s civic space rating, from “obstructed” to “repressed,” CIVICUS has added the country to its latest watchlist. CIVICUS also raised its concerns about Kyrgyzstan during the general debate at the United Nations Human Rights Council session on March 4 CIVIUS, a global alliance of civil society … Read more
Last month, over the course of two days Kyrgyz authorities carried out raids on the homes and offices of more than dozen journalists in Bishkek, ultimately detaining 11 journalists associated with Temirov Live and sealing the offices of 24.kg. Although pressure on media in Kyrgyzstan has escalated, Rinat Tuhvatshin, co-founder of Kloop told The Diplomat … Read more
Over the course of two days, half a dozen journalists in Kyrgyzstan have been taken in for questioning, their offices or homes raided or sealed by the State Committee for National Security (SCNS) in what appears to be a concerted crackdown. On January 15, the offices of 24.kg, a leading local news agency, were raided … Read more